Gracidea
by ShindaHotaru
Summary: When Green visits Red one day, he mentions a person Red isn't aware he misses. Originalshipping hints. Red-centered. OneShot.


A warm breeze danced around him, tickling the bare skin of his arms, face and neck, and being gone as fast and surprising as it had appeared. Unused to the warmth, his body reacted against the higher temperature surrounding him, causing shivers running down his spine and the little hairs on his arms to stand up. The sun's rays embraced him in a warm, gentle hug, as if welcoming him back to the real world. After living on the highest spot in Kanto, he had come to believe that he wasn't part of the world anymore, instead he lived in some kind of parallel universe, invisible to everybody else.

He stood at the foot of the mountain for a while, gathering his courage and some reasons for his breakout of his universe before being able to start walking. It had been a while since he last had walked down this road, wandered through the dozen knee-length high grass patches brushing his hands over the blades of grass and filling his lungs with the clean fresh air of the landscape. He tended to do like he had done back then, feeling the blades faintly touching his fingertips and clutching at his legs as if trying to capture him. The air was tainted with a mixture of the flower's scent, the sandy, dry path and the smell of dirt; it felt rough against the walls of his trachea and for an instant, he thought he would choke.

When he reached the end of the path, he halted and turned around. It was still alright to go back, climb up the mountain and no one would ever find out that he had climbed it down, and he could go on with his life like before. His Pikachu wouldn't be that angry with him for making him stay up in their cave without him if he got back so soon. But he would be sick with regrets and guilt if he wouldn't pull this through. And for Arceus' sake, he was no coward! As a matter of fact, he hadn't come down here as the champion of the region, he had come down here for who he was.

And it made him anxious. His body was slightly trembling from the bare thought of the realization that he was running around here unprotected, without any of his Pokemon, without his numbness to work as a shield and without his best friend to be a guide. If it hadn't been for him, he wouldn't have even come up with the idea of leaving his cave. Only yesterday, Green had paid him one of his regular visits, a new blanket, some food and newspapers he had brought along. Red had put the blanket to the other twenty covers, the food to the leftovers and the newspapers on the rotten pile of collected newspapers. That was when Green had smirked and pointed out that it was time to leave the mountain and pay his mother a visit. The sudden mention of his mother had caught him off-guard; they never talked about their friends or families. But the fact that Green had smiled and talked about his mother for the first time after he had climbed the mountain, made the champion aware of the importance of Green's suggestion to visit her. Of the importance of the visit.

The whole procedure of climbing down and coming closer and closer to his destination made him feel more and more like an Omanyte reluctantly crawling out of its shell. And with each step, he wanted to crawl back in even more. It was too late to turn back now. Faster than expected, he reached the Pokemon center stationed at the end of the way, marking the end of Mt. Silver's landscape and introducing Route 28. For a moment, he considered taking a rest and carefully becoming used to civilization as only a few people ever dared to come here. The route was known for its danger and strong Pokemon, despite that (from what he knew from Green) people thought that Mt. Silver was empty and not even inhabited by Pokemon and even the few that believed there was life on the mountain didn't label it as 'spectacular' enough to visit it. Or maybe it was just part of Green's plan to give him some space, some privacy from society by scaring them away from the mountain. Or it was Green's possessiveness? Red didn't know.

Standing in front of the Pokemon center, he simply shrugged and shoved the wooden door open. It was an old Pokemon center, more of a too big cabin than a medical center for Pokemon but since only a few trainers used the center's service, the association found it unnecessary to pay a renovation. The door fell shut with a whine, whirling some dust into the air. He coughed several times, his lungs having trouble to contain all the musty air, he yet again feared to choke. When catching his breath again, his lungs used to the unusual air, he looked around himself in search of any kind of living soul. It was dark, except for some sun rays breaking through cracks in the roof and walls. The only sounds where coming from outside; no voices, no machine beeping, nothing. His heart became heavy at the realization that the Pokemon center had been abandoned, probably a long while ago. He could've sworn it was still opened, yet it must be some long while ago that he had battled the Johto Champion. With the Pokemon center being shut down, he was now all alone at Mt. Silver, as in human being. The singer who had once lived in the only other house on Route 28 had finally come to terms with herself and moved back to Celadon City (much to Green's amusement), which made him the only human being living in this area. He felt lonelier than ever.

When he was back outside, he sat down on an old bench, placing his backpack next to him. It was stupid to bring it along but he had nothing else to carry the gift he had gotten for his mother, except for in his own hands but that would spoil the surprise. And he would most likely crush it, like the clumsy person he was. According to Green, he had become pretty rough and that was because he had forgotten how to treat and behave towards other humans. Red didn't know. He had lost and forgotten about so many things that he couldn't name them all. For example, he didn't know what day it usually was, there was only night and day for him. Only today, he knew what date it was, thanks to Green. Who had suggested to bring another calendar but Red had reminded him that he would forget to turn the pages anyway.

After waiting a few moments, he got up on his feet, shouldered his backpack and resumed his journey back home. Well, 'home' had a weird definition, the last couple of months, years (decades?) Mt. Silver was his home, even though he had never felt home. Where was his home? Did he even have a home anymore? He felt like being home whenever Green was around, did that count?

By the time he reached Viridian City, he was shaking from nervousness, sick with the feeling of discomfort. And fear. When Green had ordered him to visit his mum, his isolation had started cracking until it was completely gone. Which was why he felt uncomfortable around so many people, running the danger of being spotted by someone who knew who he was. He couldn't help but develop some sort of hatred towards society, he wasn't made to be part of it, had he ever?

Due to the occasion, the whole city was decorated with flowers, the stores and shops were opened and it was full with life like it usually was during the week. Red found himself lost in the crowds of mothers and children, happy and joyful, laughter and chants rang in his ears. No, the noise crushed his eardrum. Hastily, he set off running, memorizing the map of the city as well as he could, passing by arrangements of red carnation. He needed to get away, the closeness of the people was smothering him, as if they were breathing _his_ air, purposefully, they wanted him to die.

When he finally reached the reception house to Route 1, he leaned against the building and slid down the wall, panting heavily as he was trying to calm down. It wasn't the running, it was the panic that had started to rise inside of him. He felt some sort of claustrophobia, feeling caged in the free world on the foot of the mountain. Where was Green? He needed him here, he needed him to protect him from this world. Why hadn't he stopped by? Why had he come here in the first place? Instead of staying up there on the summit of his beloved mountain.

Remembering why had come here, he felt encouraged to stand up and enter Route 1; he would be safe there as there were only a few trainers. The reception building was empty as expected, so Red just passed through. On the other side, he took in a deep, long breath, released it and looked up into the sky. Memories of his first time walking down this Route as a Pokemon trainer popped up in his head, making him feel strange, a mixture of comfort and anxiety. He felt foreign, almost like an alien, even here where he was almost at home.

He sighed deeply, then continued walking down the path. Some Rattata played under the trees, Pidgey flew over his head and some Caterpie crawled over the path some feet ahead; the Route was alive, vivid, unlike from what he knew, from where he lived. A bug trainer waved at him, he faintly recognized but couldn't place him. It didn't matter. After this, he would go back, climb up his mountain and lived another few years in his cave with his Pokemon and Green as his only company. He didn't wave back.

Sooner than expected, he reached Pallet Town, his house not far away from where he was standing. Something in his heart broke, his knees felt wobbly, he quivered; still he fastened his pace and almost ran towards his destination. He wanted to see his mother, so bad, he had just realized how much he had been missing her all this time. Maybe it was why Green had mentioned her in the first place? Because Green knew him too well?

Red didn't knock, the door was open as usual, so he just stepped in. The inside of the house looked the same way he had left it years ago when he had started out on his journey, except for the dust, the dirt and dark spots on the floor and walls. It appeared as if nobody had cleaned it in all this time and he wondered for a second if it was as abandoned as the Pokemon center on Route 28, but if, Green wouldn't have made him come here, would he? Red trusted Green with his life, he wouldn't lie to him, not when it came to his mother.

When he stepped into the kitchen, he found an old woman sitting with her back to him at the table, a cup of coffee next to her. She seemed motionless, soundless, as if she wasn't even alive. Red swallowed the lump in his throat and tried to harrumphed but only mastered a muffled cough. He felt embarrassment crawling under the skin of his cheeks, causing him to blush lightly. The woman didn't move but he could swear to hear her sigh. "Who's there?" Her tired raspy voice felt like a vine whip around his heart, stealing his breath. What was he supposed to say? What was he supposed to do?

Absentmindedly, he shrugged one shoulder, causing one of the straps of his backpack to rub on his back. He still had his gift! Quietly, he took off the bag, opened the zipper and pulled out a paper bag made out of newspapers, in which a bouquet was hidden. He had passed by a garden of gracidea flowers on his way down Mt. Silver and figured they would do. A light smile rushed over his lips, disappearing the second it had appeared. Slowly, he walked closer to the lady, one hand holding onto the bouquet, the other reaching out for the woman. Some of her blue hair was curled around her shoulder, he brushed it away as softly as he could and rested his hand on her shoulder. Breathing in deeply, he spoke in a whisper, "Happy Mother's Day, Mom."


End file.
